1. American Revolution Outcome 1 (America – 1763-1776) HTAV Student Lectures – 26 March 2012 Nick Frigo – Santa Maria College 1

2. Outcome 1 (America – 1763-1776) On completion of this unit the student should be able to evaluate the role of ideas, leaders, movements and events in the development of the revolution. To achieve this outcome the student will draw on knowledge and related skills outlined in area of study 1. Key knowledge the chronology of key events and factors which contributed to the revolution; the causes of tensions and conflicts generated in the old regime that many historians see as contributing to the revolution; for example, colonial self assertion after the French and Indian War in the American colonies; the ideas and ideologies utilised in revolutionary struggle; the role of revolutionary individuals and groups in bringing about change; in the American colonies, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine and the Sons of Liberty; 2

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4. Legislation 4

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6. Proclamation Act 1763 Reason for it? British Action Colonial Response? British Reaction? “... And we require all persons whatsoever, who have either wilfully or inadvertently seated themselves upon the lands... Above described... Forthwith to remove themselves from such settlements... and to the end that the Indians may be convinced of our justice... “ – Proclamation Act 1763. 6

7. April 1764 - Sugar Act Factual Evidence Imposed duties on foreign sugar and and enforced customs duties. Primary Source Evidence “but duties as high as are laid by this Act, cannot by any means... Be collected, being vastly greater than the trade itself can possibly bear... “ – Stephen Hopkins, Governor of Rhode Island. Secondary Source Evidence “The Sugar Act (Grenville’s American revenue Act) was parliaments first law for the specific purpose of raising money in the colonies” Reason – British Action – Colonial Reaction – British Response... 7

8. March 1765 -Stamp Act Primary Source Evidence How can it be reconciled that the “colonies, who are without one representative in the House of Commons, should be taxed by the British Parliament.” – James Otis, “The Rights of the British Colonists asserted and Proved”, July 1764 Secondary Source Evidence “Through this Act, the British were taxing the colonial population to pay for the French war, in which colonists had suffered to expand the British Empire.” – Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the US., p. 61. ** Reason – British Action – Colonial Reaction – British Response... Factual Evidence Meant a tax on: legal documents, business contracts, licenses, land deeds, newspapers, journal and playing cards. 8

9. Declaratory Act Following the repeal of the Stamp Act, the Rockingham Ministry consented to the adoption of the Declaratory Act, “baldly stating that Parliament retained the power to legislate for the colonies ‘in all cases whatsoever’.” - Jack Rakove, Revolutionaries. British parliament did not want to look like they were giving in to the colonists. Parliament yielded to colonist protests, but WAS NOT prepared to exempt colonists from the highest power of the British Empire. 9

10. Townshend Acts In January 1767, Charles Townshend, the chancellor of the exchequer, proposed levying duties on miscellaneous goods imported into the colonies – glass, lead, paint, paper, pasteboard, all items that Americans could not easily manufacture. 10

11. The Townshend Duties – Revenue Acts Factual Evidence Taxed items that had to be imported: paint, tea, glass, paper - Colonists responded by attempted to lessen the use of such items (boycott). Primary Source Evidence Contemporary Letter: “Another Act of Parliament which appears to me to be unconstitutional and as destructive to liberty of these colonies.” – Letters from a Farmer Secondary Source Evidence Reason – British Action – Colonial Reaction – British Response... 11

12. Townshend Acts Townshend “clearly conceived his scheme as a way of habituating Americans to the payment of new taxes. He also hoped to exploit Franklin’s distinction between internal and external taxes, the former objectionable on constitutional grounds, the latter presumably acceptable under Parliament’s general authority over trade.” – Jack Rakove, Revolutionaries. 12

13. Intolerable (Coercive) Acts 1774 This was a ‘punitive’ measure of the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Port Bill, effective 1 June 1774 prohibited loading or unloading of ships in Boston harbour until damages had been paid for the destroyed tea. – An exception of this was that military food, stores and fuel could be brought in (if cleared at Salem rather than Boston). 13

14. Intolerable (Coercive) Acts 1774 The Administration of Justice Act, 20 May 1774 protected royal officials by providing that those accused of a capital crime committed in aiding the government would not be tried by the provincial court where the official was located, but would be tried in another colony or England. 14

15. Intolerable (Coercive) Acts 1774 The Massachusetts Government Act, 20 May virtually annulled the colony’s charter, and gave the governor control over the town meeting. At this time, Thomas Gage, commander in chief of the British Army in America, was made governor of the colony of Massachusetts. Extensions to The Quartering and the Quebec Acts – not actually part of the ‘coercion’ but were considered so by the colonists. The Quebec Act saw the British Parliament extend Canada’s boundaries to the Ohio River, cutting into territories claimed by the original 13 Colonies – colonists were NOT happy! 15

16. Intolerable (Coercive) Acts 1774 The Intolerable Acts “rallied the other twelve colonies to the side of Massachusetts, produced the first Continental Congress and led to the Declaration of Independence” – Pollard, Factors in American History. 16